LCS Production on Even Keel

Navy awards Lockheed Martin-led team contract modification for two more LCS Freedom variants

A Lockheed Martin-led team may be building the U.S. Navy’s odd numbered Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), but the production is proceeding on an even keel.

The team’s first two Freedom-variant LCSs have joined the fleet, three more are under construction, long-lead materials are being procured for another, and on March 4, the Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract modification to build the next two ships.

“With each ship, the Lockheed Martin-led industry team incorporates lessons learned from our lead ship, decreasing costs and improving efficiency,” said Joe North, vice president of Littoral Ship Systems for Lockheed Martin. “We’ve partnered with the Navy each step of the way to ensure that these multi-mission ships have the most sophisticated technologies on board to help sailors manage and monitor its systems.”

The contract modification is for LCS 13 and LCS 15, the fifth and sixth of a 10-ship contract originally awarded to Lockheed Martin in 2010. The Navy will announce the ships’ names at a future date.

As with the first six ships, Marinette Marine Corp., a Fincantieri company, will build the latest Freedom variants in its northeast Wisconsin shipyard. Naval architect Gibbs & Cox of Arlington, Va., provides engineering and sustainment support. Nearly 900 companies in 43 states contribute to the Freedom variants, including their mission packages.

Designed to defeat threats and dominate in coastal waters, the Navy’s newest surface combatant is a fast, maneuverable and networked ship. LCS provides the capabilities and flexibility to execute focused missions, such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.

USS Freedom, the nation’s first LCS, set sail from its home port in San Diego on March 1 for a 10-month deployment in Southeast Asia. USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) was delivered two months early and commissioned in September.

Construction on the Milwaukee (LCS 5), Detroit (LCS 7) and Little Rock (LCS 9) is underway, while long-lead materials are being procured for Sioux City (LCS 11).

Posted March 4, 2013

LCS Deployment

Follow the nation's first Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), as she crosses the Pacific to Southeast Asia.